Method of cleaning and resizing baseball caps



Unite States Patent METHOD OF CLEANING AND RESlZlNG BASEBALL CAPS Clayton E. Foreman, Salem, Greg.

No Drawing. Application April 14, 1958 Serial No. 728,849

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-) This invention pertains to cleaning processes, and relates particularly to a novel process for cleaning and resizing caps of the type worn by baseball players.

It is universally recognized among baseball players that, once a baseball cap is soiled, or the bill or crown broken, the cap is beyond repair and is discarded for a new one. Accordingly, it is generally accepted by those in charge of uniform procurement, that a high school baseball player will use from one to two caps per season, that a college baseball player will use from one to three caps per season, that a baseball player in semi-professional leagues will use from one to three caps per season, that players in minor leagues will use from three to six caps per season, and that players in major leagues will use from six to twelve or more caps per season. Considering the cost of a baseball cap, it becomes apparent that it represent an item of expense considerably out of proportion with its useful life.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method by which baseball caps and the like may be cleaned and resized a substantial number of times to restore the original new condition.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a method for cleaning and resizing baseball caps and the like, which method may be performed with the use of materials and apparatus normally available in all commercial cleaning establishments.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision of a method for cleaning and resizing baseball caps and the like, which method involves a minimum of materials, manipulations and time, and hence a minimum of expense.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description.

In the commercial cleaning and resizing of baseball caps, a number of caps are charged into a small standard commercial washer, for example from to 24 caps in a washer having a length of 30 inches and a diameter of 24 inches, in which is contained a conventional charge of dry cleaning solution, such as about 15 gallons of a 2% soap solution in standard dry cleaning solvent. The washer is operated for a period of time sufficient to clean the caps, generally about fifteen minutes, after which the solution is extracted and the caps are tumbled at a temperature of not more than about 130 F., until dry. Each cap is then subjected to the following procedure:

A solution is prepared, consisting essentially of an aqueous solution of a water soluble sizing. Various com-v mercial sizing agents may be used, among which are those available under the trade names Resizit, Sacon, Buckeye, and others. For example, a solution comprising from about 2 to 6 parts by weight of Resizit and about 16 parts by weight of water, has been found to be quite satisfactory. The solution of sizing is sprayed upon or otherwise applied to the bill and crown of the base- Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ball cap, conveniently by means of a conventional spray bottle.

The crown of the cap then is placed upon a conventional steam iron of the shoulder-pulf-iron type and, while pulling down upon the body of the cap, is allowed to dry. By so pulling down on the cap, the crown is smoothed over the puff-iron to its proper shape, which is retained upon setting of the size. Simultaneously, by pulling down on the cap with the crown arranged on the pufi-iron, the body of the cap is stretched to its original size.

Having thus restored the crown to proper shape and the cap to proper size, the bill of the cap now is laid upon a conventional ironing board and steam ironed until dry, whereupon the setting of the size restores the bill to proper stiffness and shape.

After removal of the cap from the ironing board, the main bulk of the cap is folded forwardly into the crown and, in this folded condition, the cap is allowed to cool.

It has been determined that baseball caps subjected to the cleaning and resizing process described hereinbefore, are restored substantially to their original new condition of cleanliness and characteristic stiffness of crown and bill. Moreover, baseball caps may be subjected to the foregoing process a substantial number of times without noticeable deterioration of the cloth. Thus, by use of the process herein described, baseball caps need no longer be expendable, but rather may be restored to original condition for continued use for several seasons of play even by members of major league clubs. Still further, baseball caps and the like maybe restored to original condition by the process herein described, at an exceptionally low cost, by virtue of the simplicity of the procedure involved.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the details of the process steps described hereinbefore may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of cleaning and resizing baseball caps and the like, comprising subjecting the cap to the action of a cleaning solvent for a time suflicient to clean the same, removing the cap from the solvent and drying the same, applying to the bill and crown of the cap a quantity of sizing material, stretching the crown of the cap upon a steam iron of the shoulder-pufi-iron type until dry, and steam ironing the bill of the cap until dry.

2. A method of cleaning and resizing baseball caps and the like, comprising subjecting the cap to the action of a dry cleaning solution until clean, removing the cap from the solution and drying the same, spraying the bill and crown of the cap with an aqueous solution of a sizing material, placing the crown of the cap on a steam non of the shoulder-puif-iron type, pulling upon the body of the cap to smooth the crown over the iron and to restore the cap to proper size, drying the crown of the cap while on said iron, and steam ironing the bill of the cap until dry.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15,664 McCraken Sept. 2, 1856 1,418,381 Kern June 6, 1922 1,843,126 Geocares Feb. 2, 1932 2,271,146 Norris Ian. 27, 1942 2,712,683 Gaunt et a1. July 12, 19.55 

